The Story

Hello, I'm Lucy, Guv'nor of The Wise House.

I've always wanted a little shop of my own. At the age of 11 my best friend Emma and I decided we would set up a bakery based on our gluttonous love of cakes. We called it Mc 'n' Rowe, a 'tasteful' combination of our surnames (a habit which caught on for The Wise House*). We spent a lot of time designing the shop front and dreaming up the cakes we would sell (one of which had a whole Mars Bar in the centre). We put that idea to bed when we realised you had to get up early for the baking....

Over the years my love for 'housy bits' has grown and I can often be found rubber-necking outside people's windows (dusk is best for this, lights on, curtains not yet closed!). It's hard to pidgeonhole my 'style' - I love strong colours, distinctive patterns and beautiful design, things that draw the eye to them.

I feel most inspired by homes that are eclectic and uncontrived with a 'lived in' feel.

My journey with The Wise House has already introduced me to so many talented British and overseas designers. I feel very passionate about the many amazing products being produced by small, talented artisans who love what they do.

I also enjoy designing and producing my own exclusive products, such as the Art Print and Hipster Bags. My daughter now has the bug and recently drew a fabric design for me which I love (watch this space).

It's not that we would never buy anything mass produced (who can resist IKEA?) but it is nice to have, & give, something that is a little bit different. I want The Wise House to be a breath of fresh air where you can buy real things made by real people that will stand the test of time...

What I look for when sourcing for The Wise House;- Accessible useful products that I would use and give myself- Smaller artisan brands from the better known, nkuku, to the lesser known, Megan Alice England, with the emphasis on their designing and producing their own products- Products with lots of originality, individuality and flair- Products that are made-to-last- Ethical companies- Companies that are friendly and reliable

*We bought my children a Wendy house for the garden and decided to give it a cheesy name combining the 'Wi' of Will (son's name) and the 'se' of Rose (daughter's name). We obviously had nothing better to do at the time?!! Hence, The 'Wise' House was born. It seemed like it was meant to be when I started the business and I didn't think twice about calling it The Wise House.